Thanos' Bane (A Thanos FanfictionInfinity War)
by Kezzlebezzle
Summary: Before he was her enemy, he was her father. This is the story of Elenora De La Maicia, last of a forgotten people, the Eternal Fire, gifted with the Cursed Sight. This is the story of the evil Titan and the child born to destroy him.
1. Chapter 1

Identity. Who you are. What you beleieve in. What you stand for. An animal can go a lifetime without it. But a human will wither it without it's presence. It drives every action. Punishes wrongdoing. And when the world closes in and makes one feel utterly alone, identity reminds you of who you are. And your mission in choosing your life.  
Well Elenora De La Maicia was not human. But she had been robbed of this most precious asset. This, and I write these words as truthfully as I dare, is her story.  
The tale begins on a planet very far from here in what used to be called the South West Quadrant of the Kree Empire.  
Zelus. The pride and joy of her owners, home of the Grand Lord Norm and Grand Lady Elenora I. Their rule was sincere at best and a disaster at its worst. Zelus had been steadily descending into anarchy ever since the purchase of slaves was made legal twenty years prior to the birth of their first child Elenora II. From there, the population quickly began to grow until the number of slaves outnumbered their masters at 4 to 1. Food began to grow scarce, and it was on the tides of a rebellion almost twenty five years later, that Zelus met it's end.

Elenora II

"Elenora!" Her mother tugs her forward. She doesn't know why. It is only code. All of it is just code. Code is easier to read than words. But this time she's really done it. This time Nama is not happy. This time she has gone too far.  
"Nama?"  
"Ssshh."  
The grunts of the soldiers above their heads is all that fills her hearing for the next few minutes. She's not afraid. It's just the way it goes. What the code said would happen. But Nama never understood that.  
"Don't be afraid Nama," Elenora whispers to her mother, pulling her down. "If you follow me, I can get us out."  
"No," her mother snaps sharply. "Elenora I will hear no more of this nonsense. Forget that code you've been writing. We're going to get out of here. There is a ship waiting for us in the capital. Your father will meet us there . . ."  
"No! Nama, if you we leave, he'll find us! You have to follow my plan . . ."  
"I always knew that we were giving you too much leeway," her mother murmurs under her breath. "And now I know for sure."  
"Nama . . ."  
And they were almost there. They were almost there. The path to the ship was clear, 100 metres and closing. But the code is never wrong.  
Her mother shoved her behind her as the creature stepped out.  
"Your Majesty." She remembers him being a small gangly creature. Sickly with twitchy lips and greyed hair and eyes that seemed to follow both of them at once.  
The sword was drawn immediately. "Go back to the shadows foul creature!"  
"Your husband is dead," the creature warns her. "You need only surrender the child to save yourself."  
"Never!" She remembers the sound her mother's neck made. Never even made it three feet. Like the sound the hens made when they snapped the necks.  
And she just stood there. She just stood there.  
"Come here child."  
"You killed my mother."  
"A small price to pay," he murmurs.  
"Not to me."  
"Soon you will understand child." He approaches her steadily. There was no fear. Not even sadness. Not yet. "Come with me now . . . and I will show you the end of the code."  
Awfully young. To be thinking about revenge. But now the code has changed. Calling her. It says that she must go. That she must go.  
"And I will show you the end of your life."  
He smiles. "I sense that we have an understanding."  
That was the beginning of the end.


	2. Chapter 2

She watched the planet die. And it wasn't a slow death. The land may still stand unscorched. And the trees may still bristle in the wind. But Zelus is more than that. Zelus is the people. Like Nama (mother) . And her Unama (father). It's a little odd to not be crying. But as the ship takes flight into the grand expanse of space, she finds herself wondering what a little girl can really do against these wicked people.

It is some hours before the grey creature enters her cell again. The Maw they call him. Though she has no idea why. There's nothing special about that crusty mouth.  
"You must be hungry little one. The Master has summoned you."  
Down the dark halls they wander. No pictures. No carpet. The interior designer was clearly of poor taste. Eventually, they come to a door no different from any other door, even though what lies behind it is more different than anything she has ever seen.  
A glistening pool of water lies in watch beneath massive spires of stone. And at the centre of the pool is a platform and on the edge of the platform is a throne. And atop the throne sits a god, for if he is no god, then he must be of the Titans! He must be at least nine feet tall with his gnarled red skin and scarred flesh. Every ounce of his body is laden with muscle and the stern calm of his eyes leaves no room for denial. As Maw pushes her forward, she winces. It's been two days since she last ate.  
"I thought I told you to feed the child Maw." His voice . . . she knows she should not tremble, but she cannot help it. Not when Nama is dead. And Unama. It is simply anger.  
"She has refused any attempt to wash or feed her Master."  
"Is that so?"  
She measures her words before she speaks. "I . . ."  
"Speak up little one."  
Little one?! "I won't eat until I see my father."  
A massive sigh falls from the Titan's chest. He seems ever so slightly amused though she cannot tell for sure with the shadows obscuring his face.  
"I admire your tenacity little one," he booms. "I see you are clever. Sharp." In seconds he is kneeling before her, dwarfing her in his shadow, cutting out the warmth. "You know your father is dead. Why now should you join him . . . hmmm?"  
She almost hits Maw stepping back when he tries to touch her face. "What do you want with me?"  
"I will tell you everything - after you eat." She moves to speak but he silences her with a finger. "Do we have an understanding . . . Elenora?"  
All she could see was her mother's face. Stay behind me Elenora. Trust me Elenora. And this monster uses it without question, as if they had always known each other. The knife comes out. And if she had struck just a split second earlier, it may have found its mark. No sooner does it bounce harmlessly off his massive chest then she turns it on herself.  
Maw rips it from her grasp even as she collapses screaming.  
"That was unwise Elenora," the mad Titan growls.  
"No," she weeps. "Unwise was leaving me alive!" Maw is already dragging her away. "I'll make you pay for that! I'll make you pay for Unama and Nama and everyone you stole from me!"  
"Silence child . . ."  
"I'll kill you!" The doors close and all she is left with is his memory and the stale salt of tears left too long uncried.  
It was only later that under his command, Elenora II was heavily sedated, moved to the Operating Chambers and operated upon. Until the memory of her family was gone. Until she was just the ever loyal daughter. Until the bitterness of millions dead was replaced with an empty shell of a child.


	3. Chapter 3

She tumbles to the ground. A quick tinge in her spine as she rolls to her feet again, slicing the Chitauri warrior across the stomach. Her blade fully absorbs the force of another blast as she separates another head from another body. Bang! The butt of the sword drives into her had, it makes her spin for a few seconds. Spitting out blood, fingers lock around her throat. It takes the full force of her throwing her body forward to break it, then gouge, gouge and there's blood and gore as she rips an eyeball out, ending his life with a clean slit of the throat.  
Elenora, Elenora. She hears her father clapping slowly. Brushing her red hair from her face, she turns to face him, kneeling to the ground. Ten years have not tempered his thirst for blood.  
"Well done my child," Thanos says calmly. "You have been studying."  
With the metallic scent of blood hanging around her, she does not know what to say. What to do. It feels suffocating. And it is. But there is no pain attacking her now, no pang of conscience that she has not endured before.  
"Yes Father."  
"Your footwork must be tightened upon," he remarks. "I will have the Maw make a note of it for your lessons tomorrow." A tear rolls down her cheek. "Look at me Elenora." She moves to wipe her eyes but he raises a finger. "Let me see your eyes."  
It was just one tear but as soon as she lifts her eyes, she knows it is more than enough.  
"You have been crying."  
"Father . . ."  
"Does this . . . upset you?"  
"How can you ask me that?" she whispers. "I train every day. Give everything for you every day. My time, my future, my life - what more do you want from me?!"  
"Life can often turn out differently to how we want it to Elenora," Thanos says without flinching. "Soon you will see that the skills I am teaching you can only enhance your wellbeing. Elenora . . . I have a task for you. A way for you to . . . understand . . ." She hears his footsteps as he ascends from that disgusting throne, down to her level. Kneeling before her, calloused hands grip her chin to meet her green eyes with the steady coolness of his blue orbs.  
"You belong to me," he warns. "Your heart. Your body. Your soul. You're young. Passionate. But I will not tolerate this kind of weakness in you. I have a vision. A destiny. One that I would have you share with me . . ."  
"I want no part of your destiny!" she snaps. "I hate you! I hate this cesspit of a life you've given me!"  
"Perhaps you require another session in the Tube," he murmurs.  
"No . . ."  
"I think it will calm you down enough for you to see sense."  
"No!" Her fist misses him entirely as the Maw uses his telekenesis to drag the screaming teenager from the ground. Her nails chip. And her throat is raw from screaming. Blood sticks to her eye lids. And the last thing she remembers is how the bastard stood there. Just watching. As if the greatest disappointment he could ever have been granted was her.

THE SPECTRE

"This had better be important Spectre."  
The hologram holds steady. Lucky with the storm. "If Lord Thanos does not want the gauntlet after all, then I suppose it's nothing . . ."  
"Do not try your tongue with me," Ebony Maw replies.  
"You think that there are only six stones," the Spectre growls. "Six entities. But I've found proof that it's not that simple. The temple on Iesthesis led me to some very ancient manuscripts."  
The Maw sounds impatient. "Spare me your archaelogical nonsense. What did you find?"  
"The six stones are like a fuel source for the gauntlet," he continues. "They power it. Work in harmony together. But for that to happen is like an afront to nature. It needs a stabilising agent to make the process work or the gaunlet would just blow up."  
Silence before Ebony Maw speaks again and this time, the Spectre knows he holds his attention.  
"I assume you have this stabilising agent?"  
"I did not contact you for you to whine at me Maw. I'm on the verge of solving a problem you could not crack in a hundred years. I'll have the agent. I just need more time."  
"You'd better. I don't need to tell you what happens if . . ." The Spectre ends the transmission.  
Leaning against the pillar of the temple for support, the dark cloak is drawn back to reveal a pale face. Sharp cheekbones. Cruel eyes though occasionally they may soften. Always a crinkle in his mouth from where he has been thinking. He'll have to act fast if he is correct. If this stabilising agent is not an item he can possess. Every document he reads points to the same mystery. This agent is not a thing. It's . . . a person. But that would be impossible. Right?


End file.
